The Brat and the Git
by lloinng
Summary: One abused and lonely Boy-Who-Lived. One Greasy Git of the Dungeons. When their paths cross, what will happen? WARNING: Mentions of abuse, a tiny bit of language scattered here and there, and a bit of corporal punishment.


Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter!

My beta reader goes by the pen name of _**parselmagic**_.

Author's Note: *cringes* Alright, alright…I admit, I have quite blatantly ignored the to-do list that I have listed _**myself. **_However, as you are all aware, I get quite excited when I have thought of a new idea, so, just…try to bear with me, I guess?

Chapter 1 – The Potter Brat has some Problems

Harry Potter shifted in his seat uncomfortably, trying to lessen the agony on his bottom. Uncle Vernon had given him a "going-away beating", and his whole body felt like one giant inferno. It wasn't that he wasn't used to the pain; his uncle often taught him lessons about not being a freak with his fists and his belt. However, because of the pain, Harry couldn't concentrate on the lessons, and he honestly didn't want his first day to be turning out like the failure he is. Suddenly, he was jolted out of his thoughts by a sneering voice. "Potter, would you care to answer what the main ingredient of a Blood-Replenishing Potion is?" It was the voice of Severus Snape, Greasy Git of the Dungeons, also the teacher of Potions, the class The-Boy-Who-Lived was currently in.

The boy blushed, fidgeting in his seat. It wasn't that the books were boring; his uncle had banned all mention of magic in the house, and therefore had confiscated his books. He quietly replied, "I'm sorry, sir. I don't know, sir."

"Well, well. Looks like fame isn't everything, huh?" Professor Snape sneered at the boy. Harry's cheeks blazed even redder, and he slunk back, embarrassed. "Well, two points from Gryffindor, and we will now begin making the most basic potion of all."

Even as Harry stood up (What a relief!) and got the ingredients, he couldn't help but panic. The first day at school and he had already lost points. What if Professor McGonagall didn't want a great big troublemaker in her house and banished him? Oh no! He didn't want to go back to the Dursley's!

As he was troubled with his thoughts, a voice sounded behind him and the boy jumped. "Well, Potter, two more points from Gryffindor for not doing what you're told, and report to detention with me at seven PM straight this evening." Severus Snape's voice floated silkily to him, and Harry looked down, cheeks once again flaming. "I-I'm sorry, sir…"

"Oh, what is this? The famous Potter brat is apologizing?" A sneer was the answer to his apology.

xxx

At 6:55PM, Harry knocked on the door to the dungeons. A gruff "Enter" was soon heard, and Harry hovered in the doorway hesitantly. Was the professor going to send him back to the Dursley's? He would do anything to avoid that!

A voice soon cut through his thoughts. "Potter, I have a sentence written up on the board. You are to repeat it 500 times on this piece of parchment." Harry squinted at said board. The sentence was, "I will not be distracted in class." He sighed in relief, because at least he wasn't going to be sent back!

xxx

After 300 lines, Harry's hand was getting sore, and his agonizing body had made his vision blurry from the pain. "I will not be distracted in class" soon turned into "I will not be seated in class". Suddenly, a cold voice sounded behind his back, making him jump.

"What is the meaning of this, Potter?! Got bored of your detention? Are you far too superior for this punishment?!" Severus Snape's furiously cold voice jolted Harry out of his near-unconsciousness, and made him peer at the board. The boy's blood ran cold when he spotted the sentence that was written on it. Oh no! Now that he had messed up his detention, Professor Snape was probably going to beat him for disobeying!

xxx

Severus Snape stared in shock as the Potter brat lifted himself out of his seat and bent over the desk, clearly in position for something close to a whipping. Despite his shock, the man managed to choke out, "W-what are you doing, Potter?!"

Harry looked at him with a strange expression. "Aren't you going to beat me, sir?"

The professor looked at him, mouth agape. "B-beat you? Why would I do such a thing?!"

"Because I disobeyed you, and that warrants a beating, and also because I'm a freak so I deserved to be punished." The boy closed his eyes, clearly reciting the line. Snape wanted to kill someone with the anger boiling in his mind. Everything suddenly made sense to him now! The non-stop fidgeting, the tentative way he touched his food earlier, everything suddenly became clear; Ha-Potter's relatives were…abusing…him.

"And who told you that, Harry?" Too shocked and angry to notice his use of the chi-brat's first name, Snape demanded an answer.

"My Uncle."

Snape was shocked into silence. Looks like his suspicions have been confirmed. "So your…relatives…beat you?"

A nod was the only answer, but it was the answer Snape had not been looking forward to. Suddenly, his world exploded in a shower of red from the fury that Lily's child had been treated like this, and it took all of his restraint not to blow up the dungeons. He gripped a desk near him, finally succeeding in calming down, only to see the Potter brat looking at him with something of a worried expression. "A-are you okay, sir?" He asked timidly, as if scared of the answer. Snape replied with a curt nod, and asked crisply. "Would you care to remove your shirt, Mr. Potter?"

xxx

"Would you care to remove your shirt, Mr. Potter?" Snape repeated. That sentence made Harry's blood freeze. After all the talk, the professor was finally going to beat him! He tried to fight back the shiver, and removed his uniform then the baggy hand-me-down shirt beneath. Because of his tensed shoulders and closed eyes, he did not see the professor behind him take a deep breath, trying not to apparate to the Dursley's right this second and hex them into oblivion.

Hunching his shoulders to try and lessen the pain, Harry was rather surprised when there was no pain (except the one that already existed), and looked back, surprised, to see the Potions Master's livid expression. _Oops,_ he thought, cringing, _I must have really messed up this time…_

xxx

Severus sucked in a breath as the boy revealed his bony back to him. It was beaten beyond recognition, and yet the Potter brat had yet to say anything. He choked out. "Potter, put your clothes back on. We are visiting the Infirmary."

xxx

"Well, that's all I can do for today, Mr. Potter. You are to visit me every day for a week, though. Is that understood?" Madam Pomfrey's stern sound made Harry nod unconsciously. The Healer had rubbed healing ointment all over his body, then flooed both the Headmaster and Professor Snape.

"Why, hello, Harry!" Albus Dumbledore's twinkle greeted the boy. He held out a dish. "Care for a lemon drop, my boy?" Harry took one politely and thanked him, then popped the candy into his mouth. He was rather surprised at the burst of flavor, as he wasn't allowed to have sweets back at the Dursley's.

Soon, Severus' voice cut through. "Well, Potter, the Headmaster and I have discussed your…situation…and decided that the Dursleys are not suitable guardians for you. Therefore, is there anyone you would like to stay with as your new guardian?" He looked at the boy expectantly.

Harry blushed. Because of his freakishness, Harry had gone out of his way to avoid everyone in fear that he would contaminate them. Therefore, he really had no candidate except…he suddenly looked up to the Potions Master. "Um, sir, if, uh…" He stuttered, too embarrassed to get it out.

"What is it, Potter?" Snape asked, impatient.

His answer came out in a rush. "Canyoubemyguardian?"

The Greasy Git of the Dungeons looked at the Boy-Who-Lived in shock. "You want to live with me?!"

Harry nodded, mortified. "Y-you don't have to, I'm sorry, I shouldn't have asked, I'm really sorry, sir…" He trailed off, not sure where he was going.

Severus Snape took a deep breath and considered what he was doing. He was actually _willing _to adopt the child of his nefarious nemesis?! However, despite his thoughts, he found that he actually _did _want to keep the ch-brat. He steadied himself, taking another gulp of air, before announcing the news. "Well, if you are content with me, Potter, then…yes. I will become your g-guardian."

TBC…

Wow…That was the longest chapter I have ever written! Just, wow! Well, please enjoy, and R&R!


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